Use a Model-Based Instrument to specify pin map channels and instrument properties so you can connect TSM to a third-party instrument. Unlike Custom Instruments, Model-Based Instruments can be reused across test programs and pin maps.

A Model-Based Instrument is defined in an instrument model description file. The instrument model description file is an XML file that follows the Automatic Test Markup Language (ATML) schema, the standard for interfacing test system components using XML. The instrument model description file includes general information, details for connection components (channels, ports, resources), and configuration properties of the instrument and its resources. Reuse an instrument description file across multiple test programs and pin maps.

Instrument model description files installed by NI are saved in the Instrument Model library, located in individual subdirectories under the <Program Files>\National Instruments\Shared\InstrumentLibrary\SystemDescriptions\ModelDescriptions directory.

You can also define your own Model-Based Instrument. Create the following directory and save your model description file in it: <Public>\Documents\National Instruments\InstrumentLibrary\SystemDescriptions\ModelDescriptions.

The specific connection components of a Model-Based Instrument are defined in the model description file for all instances of the model. However, in individual systems, connection components can have different names, or aliases. These aliases correspond one-to-one with the names in the model description file. This mapping is defined in a system description file. When the mapping is defined in a system description file, the Pin Map Editor displays the aliased resource names, rather than the model description resource names.

If present, the system description file is located in the following path: <Program Files>\National Instruments\Shared\InstrumentLibrary\SystemDescriptions\SystemDescription.xml. You can define your own system description file and copy it to <Public>\Documents\National Instruments\InstrumentLibrary\SystemDescriptions\SystemDescription.xml.